Hard Gospel launches Good Samaritan Course

Tuesday October 16th 2007

Leaflet promoting the Hard Gospel project. Following on from the success of the ‘Loving your Neighbour’ course used in parishes across the island last Lent, the Hard Gospel Project is launching the Good Samaritan course which is designed to encourage churches to reflect on their responses to difference in society.

The course has been used already very successfully under the title ‘Reflect and Act’ in parishes such as Kilkenny, Ballycastle, Navan, Castlerock, Clondalkin and Rathcoole and examples of their successes are interspersed throughout the course. These include an outreach project to a local asylum hostel, a programme on mental health issues and a planned trip to the Developing World.

The course, which will be available from Monday 5th November 2007, can be used either as a follow-on to ‘Loving Your Neighbour’ or as a stand alone project. Although the material will be launched in time for Advent, it is not a season specific course, although the sessions last five weeks in total.

At the heart of the Hard Gospel Project is Jesus’ command to ‘love God and love your neighbour as yourself’, elaborated so wonderfully in the parable of the Good Samaritan.

The aim of the material is therefore to prompt reflection on our own attitudes to difference, to assist the church to define the term ‘neighbour’ and to assist churches to take steps to meet others outside their church community.

Clergy will soon receive the facilitator’s pack in the post. Further copies are available from the Hard Gospel website www.hardgospel.net.